FA Youth Cup v Crystal Palace (H) | Preview

Argyle’s Under-18s get their FA Youth Cup campaign under way on Thursday night, as they host Crystal Palace at Home Park.

The game kicks off at 7pm; adults can buy a ticket for £5, reduced to £3 for season-ticket holders. It is also £3 for Over-65s and Under-23s, and just £1 for Under-18s.

For the latest crop of young Pilgrims, this game marks arguably the biggest of the fledgling careers, thus far. Getting the opportunity to walk out at Home Park, with all the trappings of a first-team game, is naturally a moment to treasure. To do so against the Academy side of a Premier League table adds a little extra flavour.

“It's massive to us, really,” said Lewis Colwell, captain of the Argyle Under-18s. “I think the preparation that we've had throughout the week just highlights how much of a big game it is.

“We know how important it is and how much it means to the club, the staff, coaches, us as players, the gaffer.

“I think we've got to take this pressure, take it into the game and perform as well as we can.

Last season, Argyle got past Cheltenham Town at Home Park, 3-0, before falling narrowly away at Gillingham in the second round. This time round, by virtue of being a Championship club, enter at the third-round stage, and have been drawn against a Crystal Palace side who are fifth in the southern section of the Premier League Under-18s table.

Colwell was a late substitute in those games, but now, as a second-year apprentice and skipper of the team, is relishing the responsibility of leading Argyle out at Home Park.

“It's definitely a proud moment for me,” he said. “I've always wanted to be captain of the under-18s team. I think with that becomes a lot of responsibility, which I've got to take upon my shoulders, in the dressing room, calming the players down.

“I know some of the players will be starting to feel the nerves, so [I need to] just calm them down, keep talking to them, keeping them in a positive mindset.

“I think our performances and our results have shown that we can perform against these high-level teams. We beat Watford in pre-season. We've come back from 2-0 down to win games. I think any situation we are put in, we can deal with it.

“It was tough to take being as a substitute [last season]. I struggled with injuries last year, and with those big games, you always want to play. You always want to be involved.

“I felt like I wanted to play, but then also I want what's best for the team. Maybe it wasn't right for me to play at the time.

“We did so well at Cheltenham and I think we were quite hard done by at Gillingham.

“When I did come on, I thought I affected the game well and it's definitely given me momentum to take into this game being in the starting 11.”

“It's been a really good build up,” said Jamie Lowry, Under-18s manager. “The lads have been spot on. They're really focused. They've really put lots of detail and attention into their work this week.

“It's the one they always talk about from the time they come in as a scholar.

“The feel is like a first-team game, the home-team changing rooms, playing on Home Park, the build up to it, the pre-match, the post-match - all that kind of thing is all as close as you can get to the first team at under-18s level.

“The league form has been excellent. We've played Swansea, Cardiff, and other fixtures where the boys have been super competitive.

“They'll be prepared, they're ready and they like the challenge. I think this group's a really, motivated group. want to go and test themselves against the best out there, and Crystal Palace are one of those, so it's something the boys are really looking forward to and are taking super seriously.

“[Palace will] be physical. They've physically got good movers. They want to play forward. They like to counter-attack. They've got some really strong players at the top end of the pitch, but at the same time, I think we can hurt them in some areas as well.

“We've done our homework. We've watched plenty of footage from them, so we'll go and give it a good account of ourselves and hopefully do the club proud.”

Live video and audio coverage of tomorrow night's game is available on Argyle TV to monthly and annual UK and International subscribers. Click here to watch or listen to the match.